Space Engine - Procedural Universe Simulator - Games

In the cache folder.

Double-post, but whatever. You guys might be interested in the planet "RS 0-7-2033519-841-118-8-12907292-27 4". Has some nice Earth-like landscapes. [thumb]https://dl.dropbox.com/u/32146097/scr00241.png[/thumb] [thumb]https://dl.dropbox.com/u/32146097/scr00242.png[/thumb] [thumb]https://dl.dropbox.com/u/32146097/woahlandscape.png[/thumb]

[URL="http://spaceengine.org/forum/14-230-11887-16-1346706987"]New updates, although in Russian. (Google Translate Link)[/URL] [quote]Began to make wiki-built system. So far, it only works with the planets. Information about the planet is divided into 4 pages - general, physical properties, orbital and atmosphere. I also started doing support database that will store information about the discoverer of the planet, its description and the name given to the discoverer. Wiki supports [I]localization,[/I] that is, names and descriptions can be given in a language that is currently included in the engine. Ie in the database you can enter the information and the names of all the solar system planets and stars with the names [I]in Russian,[/I] thus obtaining a full Russian localization SpaceEngine (still the name of all the sites were in English only). The first example - the Earth. Note the name of the planet in the upper left corner. Russian name is taken from the database. Description taken from Wikipedia. [thumb]http://spaceengine.ucoz.org/_fr/2/6316335.jpg[/thumb] [thumb]http://spaceengine.ucoz.org/_fr/2/3893394.jpg[/thumb] [thumb]http://spaceengine.ucoz.org/_fr/2/1083355.jpg[/thumb] [thumb]http://spaceengine.ucoz.org/_fr/2/3017338.jpg[/thumb] The second example - a procedural planet. Now procedural planets can give their names and descriptions. [thumb]http://spaceengine.ucoz.org/_fr/2/3361136.jpg[/thumb] [thumb]http://spaceengine.ucoz.org/_fr/2/7257108.jpg[/thumb] [thumb]http://spaceengine.ucoz.org/_fr/2/6427025.jpg[/thumb] [thumb]http://spaceengine.ucoz.org/_fr/2/2035112.jpg[/thumb] Future plans: - Support for other types of objects - stars, galaxies, and so on (including ships). - Full integration into the database engine, search for names in the database - Edit the description of the object - is required to create a mini-text editor (so far I've done manually in the script describing the database) - Support for export and import the database, so that users can share their databases in the next version, not waiting for network support. - Ability to view information about several planets - for a visual comparison of the sizes, masses and other parameters, with the ability to sort the list by any row. - Support for different units, ie able to turn on the light, the parsec, kilograms to the mass of the moon, etc.[/quote] He seems to be implementing a sort of description system for planets, even if they're procedural. Anyone who knows Russian care to translate these images? Also, some [URL="http://en.spaceengine.org/forum/21-881-2"]misc changes:[/URL] [quote]The full list of changes made after the 0.9.6.2 patch (the starting post is updated too): Changes and additions: [TABLE="class: postTable, width: 100%"] [TR] [TD="class: posttdMessage"]Changed mouse controls The little loading icon instead of the progress bar Context menu when you right-click on the object The better function of the mass-radius dependence of the gas giants and brown dwarfs Reduced the thickness of atmosphere on Earth-like planets The height of the lanscape is counted from the sea level (negative values - under water) The land command performs a landing on the height of 10 meters above sea level or ground While capturing the video, GUI is visible on the screen, but not recorded to the video Desaturation of the faint stars (simulating color sensitivity of the eye) Velocity pointer in the Planetarium mode Smooth stopping of the movement and rotation of the camera when you press the Z, X, or Num 5 in the Planetarium mode Scrolling tables and sliders with the mouse wheel [F1] opens the Universe Map for the selected system, [Ctrl]-[F1] for the current one [F2] opens the Planetary System Browser for the selected system, [Ctrl]-[F2] for the current one Bug fixes: Console command "disable" now works Fixed a bug with the nebula, shining through the planet Fixed the accelerated spinning of the ship then time is reversed Fixed glitchy star's Motion Blur Fixed a bug with very small moons with atmospheres Fixed camera autobinding Fixed a bug with the equal mass of all brown dwarfs Fixed a bug with wrong lens flare color at the edge of the screen[/TD] [/TR] [/TABLE] [/quote] The "Support for export and import the database, so that users can share their databases in the next version, not waiting for network support." makes me think. Maybe we could have a Facepunch database?

Hopefully the next version will have more nebula generate, I have only seen them near the milkyway, I also hope the general stability will improve too, crashes a tad often right now.

How exactly are you making these renders again?

Someone just released a tardis addon. [thumb]http://spaceengine.ucoz.ru/_fr/10/s4921470.jpg[/thumb] [url]http://en.spaceengine.org/forum/17-1036-1[/url] Apparently the same person is working on a Star Trek pack.

I found a planet we can all escape to when the end of the world comes later this year, who's down? [b]Name:[/b] RSC 8403-648-0-0-24 3.1 >> [u]Everest's Paradise[/u] << [b]Type:[/b] Tidally locked Temperate Terra Moon With Life. [b]Star Information:[/b] Yellow Dwarf // [b]Distance:[/b] 1.170 AU // [b]Sprectrum:[/b] [url=https://www.mtholyoke.edu/courses/jlevine/ast100/HW/hr_diagram_big.jpg]G0[/url] //Planetary Information\\ [b]Diameter:[/b] 23101.45km (1.8x the size of Earth) [b]Mass:[/b] 3.329 [i]Earth Masses[/i] [b]Parent Orbital/Rotation Period:[/b] 47.352 days [b]Solar Orbital Period:[/b] 1.12 Yrs (approx 410 days in a year) [b]Axial Tilt:[/b] 0° [b]Avg. Temperature:[/b] 287.72K (14°C/58.2°F) [b]Gravity:[/b] 1.015 Gs [b]Atmospheric Pressure:[/b] 0.21949 atmospheric pressures (approx. 220 mb) [b]Welcome to Everest's Paradise![/b] [thumb]http://i.imgur.com/8fit9.jpg[/thumb] [b]** On Arrival **[/b] + The atmosphere is blue, much like back at home, though it is very thin in appearance. The clouds appear to be thin and wispy high-altitude cirrus clouds, composed mostly of ice crystals. + From Orbit the waters appear a rich Purple color. This could be due to some form of Sulphur-based bacteria or more likely large quantities of Manganese or Carbon Dioxide present in the Oceans. + The planet appears much larger than Earth, over three times in size. Though roughly 65-70% of it is covered in liquid water. + The two planets also share a somewhat elliptical orbit with each other. At closest they are863,500 km apart and at their farthest 1,465,000 km. [i](For reference: Earth/Moon = 384,857km apart)[/i] [thumb]http://i.imgur.com/AejkX.jpg[/thumb] // [thumb]http://i.imgur.com/puVyD.jpg[/thumb] **Everest's Paradise indicated in Yellow. [i]3.1[/i] [b]** On Landing **[/b] + Your crew noticed the atmosphere is much thinner than Earth's approximately a quarter the density at sea level back at home. This would equate to approximately half the atmosphere available at the Peak of Everest which sits at about 580mb. Standard is 1014 mb. Internals are required at all times outside of crew facilities. + Outside of the thin atmosphere, temperatures are relatively stable and cool climate, hovering between 20°F(-6°C) to 70°F(21°C) on average. + Concerning land types the Planet is primarily island chains with two dominant continents. One arid/desert and the other covered in vegetation. + Vegetation on the planet is small and thin, mostly mosses and low-forming plants. + Due to the Tidally locked orbit, the planet's oceans all pull in one direction, causing a permanently deeper ocean on one side of the planet than the other. + Weather, aside from the occasional breeze, is non-existant due to the thin atmosphere and orbit. When moisture does occur it likely appears as [url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virga]Virga[/url] or is short-lived and non-accumulating. However foggy conditions and mists would be common during mornings. [thumb]http://i.imgur.com/aZ7hZ.jpg[/thumb] // [thumb]http://i.imgur.com/kkSYU.jpg[/thumb] \\ [thumb]http://i.imgur.com/QVb37.jpg[/thumb] == Sunset // Orbit \\ Sunrise == // [b]Life Report[/b] \\ Life on Everest's Paradise would exist as small-low lying plants which would appear very leafy and those which grew to size would likely be very old and slow-growing due to the lack of molecules available in the atmosphere. As far as complex life goes, pools of bacteria and primordial life are likely abundant across the planet. It is also likely that Sea life, with the comfortable temperatures and abundant water would harbor a diverse collection of complex life. Meaning seafood would be your primary source of food, as most plants from here on Earth would not grow out here. Complex terrestrial life is unlikely, though small creatures similar to small insects are possible. [thumb]http://i.imgur.com/5sOTc.jpg[/thumb] // [thumb]http://i.imgur.com/frT0Q.jpg[/thumb] \\ [thumb]http://i.imgur.com/MH0us.jpg[/thumb] So who's in with me? Aside from having to wear internals outside and eating alien seafood all the time it looks like a great place! Edit: I also failed to mention that because the Planet is primarily tidally locked and has a 0 degree axial tilt, it would essentially have no seasons. Not like we have here on Earth anyways. It would get colder the further we were from the Star and warmer as we got closer- But even if the atmosphere was thicker, it would still be a much more stable place- especially with such a stable orbit; no elipse. Though i'm not really sure to what accuracy the effects of being in a Tidally Locked orbit with another planet like that would actually be like as the closest thing we know is the Moon and it's not exactly a...happening atmosphere, if you catch my drift.

Looks interesting, yet how it could be 3 times Earth's mass and still about the same gravity confuses me

[QUOTE=Triarii;37638056]Looks interesting, yet how it could be 3 times Earth's mass and still about the same gravity confuses me[/QUOTE] Surface gravity. It has a larger diameter, so you're further away from all that mass, meaning less total felt gravity.

Different composition rather. While our planet is primarily composed of Iron, Silicate, and Magnesium; If the planet were composed less of Iron and more of Silicate or Magnesium, maybe even other substances like lime or a high concentration of volcanic glass in the planet's make-up gravity would be weaker there as the density isn't near as much. And then taking in EragonRulez' explanation, goes hand-in-hand with this.

[QUOTE=Keys;37638529]Different composition rather. While our planet is primarily composed of Iron, Silicate, and Magnesium; If the planet were composed less of Iron and more of Silicate or Magnesium, maybe even other substances like lime or a high concentration of volcanic glass in the planet's make-up gravity would be weaker there as the density isn't near as much. And then taking in EragonRulez' explanation, goes hand-in-hand with this.[/QUOTE] Huh. Doesn't Space Engine measure total mass, though? Man, I need to start exploring instead of starting it up, flying to a few random stars before deciding to do something else. Maybe try my hand at one of the neat documentary sort of thing. Great job on them, by the way, more would be awesome.

Been messing with texture resolutions. [thumb]https://dl.dropbox.com/u/32146097/scr00309.png[/thumb] Also, a clear water lake: [thumb]https://dl.dropbox.com/u/32146097/scr00307.png[/thumb] An asteroid 76km in diameter (holy shit). [thumb]https://dl.dropbox.com/u/32146097/scars.jpg[/thumb]

[QUOTE=Freak2121;37658635]--Snip-- Last post on Last Page.[/QUOTE] Did you do this out of the .cfg files or something? And how does it run in relation to stability? As it stands now I have the game on max (+2 LOD), am well over qualified and it STILL CTDs from time to time. Especially flying above 25km/hr at low altitude on a planet. ==-== It's really too bad we can't share our databases yet- Then you all could actually VISIT these worlds! I found a great system... and around a familiar star, too! Two for one special! Hope you all enjoy this, it took me a while to compile, theorize, and write up! I chose the star because sitting 9,000 lightyears above the milky way and I could still see it distinctly from the rest of the milky mess of stars round us. Wow! Thats a bright star. ==-== [b]Name:[/b] Deneb 8 [b]Type:[/b] Warm Terra with Liquid Water [b]Star Information:[/b] [url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deneb]Deneb[/url] - White Luminous Supergiant // [b]Distance from star:[/b] 347.232 AU [b]Sprectrum:[/b] [url=https://www.mtholyoke.edu/courses/jlevine/ast100/HW/hr_diagram_big.jpg]A2 Ia[/url] //Planetary Information\\ [b]Diameter:[/b] 8,577 km (0.67x the size of Earth) [b]Mass:[/b] 2.6x10^24 Kg | Less than half of Earth. [b]Orbital Period(Year):[/b] 904.9 Years (1 year = 330,509.6 Days) [sp]Winter Vacation is only.... 82,627 Days away!![/sp] [b]Rotation Period(Day):[/b] 15.5 Hours | [b]Orbit Type[/b] Eliptical [b]Axial Tilt:[/b] ~17° | Earth has an 18° tilt. [b]Avg. Temperatures:[/b] [u]Summer:[/u] 131°F / 55°C | [u]Winter:[/u] -36.67°F / -38.15°C [b]Gravity:[/b] 0.96892 Gs | Earth being 1G [b]Atmospheric Pressure:[/b] ~85mb on a good cold day | Remember sea level on Earth: ~1013mb [b]Moons:[/b] 1 | [b]Distance[/b] 283,562 km | Earth-Moon: 384,400 km +We'll give it a bit of story to help give a feel for what it might be like.+ [b]Welcome to Deneb 8![/b] [thumb]http://i.imgur.com/lnMY0.jpg[/thumb] [thumb]http://i.imgur.com/yfoOU.jpg[/thumb] [Deneb 8 and it's Moon in Red.] As the ship drops out of hyperspace and enters into the orbit of Deneb 8, your crew would behold a beautiful world covered by 80% water, yet one that seemingly bears no life on the surface. Even stranger are Deserts, arid mountain ranges, and crystalline salt fields which dominate any scrap of land on the surface. The atmosphere is relatively thick with clouds extending to the surface in places, several hurricane-like storms brew accross the surface, yet there's something funny about the clouds... Before you launched your ship some many years ago and entered into cryo for the 3,229 lightyear journey, deep-space scans indicated your ship arrive just as the planet is beginning to enter it's Fall cycle; giving your crew optimal weather conditions for the better part of a century should something go wrong. Aside from the unusual, yet appealing look of the Planet from space; a blue and shaded tan marble. The other primary interest in the rock has been the minerals contained within its' crust. Thanks to the thin atmosphere and abundance of liquid water the planet is a prime location for salt and precious mineral mining. Both resources are prolific across the planet, littering the surface in every hemisphere. As the planet reaches its' Summer months and the atmosphere is at its thickest storms frequent the entire surface, fueled on by the enormous amounts of water and Deneb's intensity. For a quarter of a millennium before you arrived the atmosphere had been drenched in water vapor. It poured rain nearly every day all day while keeping in pace with evaporation. As Water Vapor would comprise 99% of the atmosphere during the peak, it would have been extremely difficult to breathe without a filter or exosuit at times and visibility would drop considerably as clouds would blanket the surface from over saturation of the atmosphere. Now however, things are pleasant with a clear atmosphere and temperatures ranging around 60°F(15°C) on a given day. [thumb]http://i.imgur.com/nzCgd.jpg[/thumb] // [thumb]http://i.imgur.com/AdqtC.jpg[/thumb] \\ [thumb]http://i.imgur.com/X6Edd.jpg[/thumb] Sunrise - Midday - Sunset on a given day on Deneb 8. Your crew lands and begins to set up camp, unpacking the mining equipment and unloading machines. Deneb being a luminous Supergiant days even during winter are brighter than those back home on Earth on the brightest of days. Sun shades or visors are required at all times during Midday to protect your eyes from the harsh rays that are otherwise unfiltered by the lack of atmosphere present, don't forget your internals either. Mining of the materials at least goes perfectly as your crew finds fields of salts reminiscent of coral reefs ripe for the taking. Metals and ores on the list such as Magnesium and silicates are easily dug up and mined. After a week of toiling away in the salt fields and dusting off deposits of silica your crew takes note of a particularly dark band of clouds on the Horizon off the coast and the wind feels like it's coming for you. You batten down the hatches and call the crew inside before the storm hits and wait for landfall. When it hits, the planet might as well have dropped the ocean on top of you. What wind the planet can muster rock the ship and equipment left outside but otherwise cause little damage. The real danger arrives when the waters seem to continue for hours and your crew watches as several equipment are carried out into the Bay by the massive waters. When the storm finally subsides and passes on after midday the atmosphere is thick with moisture and the extent of the damage is taken in. One of the nearby salt flats the crew had been mining had been nearly washed away, but fortunately beneath it a stockpile of Gold was uncovered and your opportunistic crew made use of a hard pressed situation. Summer =/= Winter [thumb]http://i.imgur.com/BcG5U.jpg[/thumb] / \ [thumb]http://i.imgur.com/uWyLd.jpg[/thumb] [Same placement for both shots, opposite times of the year but same time of day (456 years apart)] =-= Aside from more storms the planet would otherwise hold out for abundant returns on materials. The gravity is similar to Earth and although the atmosphere gets very thin, especially during winter when most of the water is frozen on the surface, it could even be Colonized provided the Colony was either flood proof or built at elevation/underground. And Even better; It's [b]MOON!!![/b] which would appear about 1/3 the size larger than our moon does in the night sky. It almost identical to it's parent planet spare for one detail.... Gravity. [b]Planetary Type:[/b] Warm Desert [b]Diameter:[/b] 2,931 km (0.67x the size of Earth) [b]Mass:[/b] 9.49x10^22nd [b]Rotational/Orbital Period around Parent:[/b] 26 Days [b]Axial Tilt:[/b] 0° [b]Avg. Temperature: [/b] Same as Deneb 8. [b]Gravity:[/b] 0.2877 Gs (A Quarter of Earth's gravity) [b]Atmospheric Pressure:[/b] 202.6mb (Half the pressure at the top of Mount Everest.) ++ A little bit more atmosphere! It would actually be slightly warmer in the winter and potentially hotter in the summer. ++ The planet is primarily sandy desert, which causes the reflection of the blue, oxygen and suspended water vapor to illuminate the entire planet a neon blue. Small wisps of clouds float above the surface but never accumulate into any percipitation due to the limited amount of moisture. ++ Mining would probably be equally profitable here as on Deneb 8, except you wouldn't have the Rain or trouble lifting heavy equipment. Not to mention with 200mb you can wear an open-mask system and survive, No exosuit! [thumb]http://i.imgur.com/ZzDnq.jpg[/thumb] =-= [thumb]http://i.imgur.com/hPzdG.jpg[/thumb]

How does you find when an eclipse happens? Do you just sit on a planet with time fast forwarding?

[QUOTE=Keys;37665834]Did you do this out of the .cfg files or something? And how does it run in relation to stability? As it stands now I have the game on max, am well over qualified and it STILL CTDs from time to time. Especially flying above 25km/hr at low altitude on a planet. [/QUOTE] I was bored so I just upscaled the texture files from 2048x2048 to 8192x8192. At LOD 1 it doesn't go below 55fps most of the time and barely crashes. As for eclipses, either look at the orbits and angles of the orbits to figure out when an eclipse will happen or just speed up time and look for a flash of black across a planet.

[IMG]http://oi46.tinypic.com/mru5ag.jpg[/IMG] [B]Terra planet in a 9.7 AU star system[/B] [IMG]http://oi46.tinypic.com/2426fj4.jpg[/IMG] [B]12 stars orbiting a black hole at the center of a quasar[/B] [IMG]http://oi46.tinypic.com/2hgh3qp.jpg[/IMG] [B]Rather unique gas giant[/B] [IMG]http://oi46.tinypic.com/w6tafl.jpg[/IMG] [B]Perfect color giant behind a terra[/B]

So a while back I found a completely black star. I thought it was a black hole at first, but it wasn't warping light and it had a dark purple corona around it. What the fuck man. Anybody found one?

[QUOTE=hypno-toad;37670635]So a while back I found a completely black star. I thought it was a black hole at first, but it wasn't warping light and it had a dark purple corona around it. What the fuck man. Anybody found one?[/QUOTE] Very small brown dwarfs often have a blackish color.

needs more mirrors :v:

Someone on the forums found a huge ass motherfuckin' Selena. It's like twice as large as Earth. [thumb]https://dl.dropbox.com/u/32146097/scr00338.png[/thumb] The distance from one edge of the crater to the other is 120km, the crater is barely visible from space. [thumb]https://dl.dropbox.com/u/32146097/scr00340.png[/thumb] Edit: It's beautiful..I always skipped over selenas because I thought they were ugly. [thumb]https://dl.dropbox.com/u/32146097/scr00341.png[/thumb] [thumb]https://dl.dropbox.com/u/32146097/scr00342.png[/thumb] [thumb]https://dl.dropbox.com/u/32146097/scr00343.png[/thumb]

I saw an awesome planet, with life, only about 0.5AU from it's parent star. My game crashed before I could get a screenshot though.

Found a cool desert planet with thick atmosphere and roughly 1.3 Earth mass and a small moon. It has a highly eccentric orbit around a binary star system so its temperature varies widely year-round. At one point its orbit intersects that of an ice giant, and they get so close that they can be seen clearly from each other, with a distance of only 9 million km. Planet: [img]http://puu.sh/1cvrs[/img] Moon: [img]http://puu.sh/1cvsG[/img] View of the ice giant from the moon [img]http://puu.sh/1cvuw[/img] View of the desert planet from the moon [img]http://puu.sh/1cvwK[/img]

C'mon post some more cool planets. Found a desert planet in a triple star system. At certain points in the cycle it's reflecting so much light onto the back of its moon it's nearly broad daylight on the dark side, with no star light hitting it directly. [img]http://puu.sh/1cVTp[/img] [img]http://puu.sh/1cVTa[/img] [img]http://puu.sh/1cVSF[/img] [img]http://puu.sh/1cVR7[/img] Different point in the rotation, cool view (from the moon) [img]http://puu.sh/1cVPA[/img] EDIT: Holy balls, I found a terra with two moons that fuckin' eclipse each other. At 1x speed you can actually see it transit the star quite fast from the moon being shadowed. [img]http://puu.sh/1cW4j[/img] [img]http://puu.sh/1cW3t[/img] Here's the moon at a different time eclipsing the planet [img]http://puu.sh/1cW1R[/img] [img]http://puu.sh/1cW2A[/img] It also gets eclipsed by the planet when it goes to the other side EDIT: Okay this is friggin ridiculous. At another point in the orbit the eclipsed moon eclipses the moon that eclipsed it earlier. Then as soon as that eclipse passes, the planet eclipses both moons. [img]http://puu.sh/1cW91[/img] [img]http://puu.sh/1cW9p[/img] and then another eclipse [img]http://puu.sh/1cWag[/img] It's RS 8403-114-8-8463410-36 3

I found a Terra without day/night cycle. [t]http://img1.uploadscreenshot.com/images/orig/10/28005375818-orig.png[/t] There's daytime all the time at the lit side and nighttime all the time at dark side. Also the dark side is 100% ice. [editline]9th October 2012[/editline] [t]http://img1.uploadscreenshot.com/images/orig/10/28201040015-orig.png[/t] Found another one. Are they actually common?

So, I found a terra orbiting a star. Pretty normal, right? [img_thumb]http://filesmelt.com/dl/scr00040.jpg[/img_thumb] But get this: It's slightly larger than Earth, but it has TEN MOONS. [img_thumb]http://filesmelt.com/dl/scr00041.jpg[/img_thumb] [img_thumb]http://filesmelt.com/dl/scr00042.jpg[/img_thumb]

I was bored one night, so I decided to find out how large the Space Engine universe is. It's a cube, and the distance from one side to the other is exactly [B]10 giga-parsecs[/B]. Ten giga-parsecs is [B]32 616 334 400[/B] light years, that's [B]32.6 billion[/B] light years. For the known universe it is about [B]46 billion[/B] light years. So, the diameter of the Space Engine universe is nearly [B]71%[/B] the diameter of the [I][B]actual[/B][/I] known universe. Does anyone else find that absolutely mind blowing?

I keep trying to think of a way to turn this simulator into some sort of game to amuse the masses, at least here on Facepunch. Since I had been doing the documentary stuff, I was thinking of trying to create some sort of "Choose your own Fate" style Space story, using Planets/Locations from SpaceEngine and using screenshots/videos to create a visual story of a ship crew or something. Any ideas? Encouragement? In the Meantime; I have found another Planet and decided to do another Documentary-style Planet feed. ------------------- [b]System Name[/b]: RS 8403-114-9-71304679-302 ([i]Planet 7[/i]) [b]System Type[/b]: Binary System (Orange Dwarf [[url=http://www.atlasoftheuniverse.com/hr.gif]K7 V[/url]] / Red Dwarf [[url=http://www.atlasoftheuniverse.com/hr.gif]M3 V[/url]] ) [thumb]http://i.imgur.com/OSt2S.jpg[/thumb] [i]**Planet 7 indicated in red**[/i] [b]Distance from Star(s)[/b]: ~0.882 AU ([i]Earth = 1 AU from the Sun[/i]) [b]Diameter[/b]: 7484.3 km ([i]Roughly 6/10ths the size of Earth[/i]) [b]Mass[/b]: 4.7x10(^24)kg ([i]Roughly 80% of Earth's mass[/i]) [b]Orbital Period(Year)[/b]: 288 Days [b]Rotational Period(Day)[/b]: 18h23m [b]Axial Tilt[/b]: 145° tilt ([i]Almost upside down[/i]) [b]Gravity[/b]: 0.8207 G [b]Atmos. Pressure[/b]: 0.667 atm [b]Temperature[/b]: 274.4 K ([i]Earth is 287 K on average[/i]) [b]Greenhouse[/b]: ~5 K ([i]~280 K standard temperature[/i]) [b]Moon(s)[/b]: 1 ([i]@44,200km[/i]) [thumb]http://i.imgur.com/GCe1U.jpg[/thumb] [b]Notable Features[/b] ++ Solar System is rich in asteroid material, leading to the likely hood of frequent impacts with planets in the system. ++ The system is also enveloped in an Emission Nebulae. Leading to brighter nights and an overall intensified Red glow to the surrounding space, despite the Orange/Red dwarfs. ++ Most of the planets in the system are Selenas or Deserts. ++ Both Stars are in a close orbit, approx. 2 million kilometers apart. They orbit one another every 13.1 hours, tidally locked. Everything else orbits outside of this radius. ++ The system only lies 14,416.5 light years away from Earth. [b]So let's say you land on this planet and decide to establish a Colony....[/b] [thumb]http://i.imgur.com/wluYr.jpg[/thumb] On arrival and in orbit around the planet your crew notes very few lakes and oceans present on the surface. Most bodies of water present have formed out of ancient crater beds and ravines. From space the entire planet, appears a muddy-reddish brown color.. Swathes of native fauna splotch the surface, usually where there is water present beneath or on the surface. In regards to the other areas of the planet, your crew notes vast and cold deserts marked with rocky outcroppings and wind-swept towers of rock and silica. Due to the extreme tilt of the planet's axis the weather patterns across the surface tend to appear erratic. However as it seems, the lake you chose to land next to appears to be enjoying a Sunny and cloudless day at the time you arrived. Also a benefit, the size/mass ratio could indicate strong presences of heavy metals and other compounds lucrative to mining. [thumb]http://i.imgur.com/0XwOD.jpg[/thumb] As you and your crew descend to the surface and exit your spacecraft, you find the atmosphere expectantly as red as the space around it. The temperature sits at at about 47°F(8°C) and the atmospheric pressure somewhere around 78.7kPa. Your Chief Engineer remarks something about it feeling like a cold day at base-camp during his expedition up Everest last year. To breathe requires a little extra effort here, as if you are always a little short of it but not all too discomforting until you try to perform labor. Your crew has had to rely on machinery and battery-powered tools to do most of the work as exhaustion and lack of combustion in the thin atmosphere make physical and gasoline labor tedious after short periods. Most of the fauna encountered has been limited to short [i]Non[/i]-[url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tracheophyte]Tracheophyte[/url] type plants such as mosses and some ground-based vines. The samples taken back to the ship lab have revealed species rich in photosynthetic pigments to compensate for the dimmer environment and emissions of the binary system. Some even appear to feed exclusively off of infrared and ultraviolet spectrums. Colors have tended to vary from dark greens to rich purples, blues, and black. In regards to more advanced terrestrial forms of life; your crew has had trouble finding much of anything... A few simple forms of life exist similar to [url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stromatolite]stromatolites[/url] from back at home but nothing of any considerable advancement or intelligence. The waters contain a much richer biodiversity in the deeper oceans, harboring creatures similar to Jelly fish and coral from Earth. Their colors, unlike their terrestrial counter-parts, bear colorful displays and patterns, A wide variety of the ocean-based life has adopted bio-luminescence in their bodies either for hunting or for reproduction it appears. [thumb]http://i.imgur.com/kh2Nw.jpg[/thumb] /-\ [thumb]http://i.imgur.com/INU1X.jpg[/thumb] As the day goes on the extreme [url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Axial_tilt]obliquity[/url] turns the 18 hour day into what feels like a 20 hour day. Where twilight (the time between Night and Day) seems to last forever. When night finally does set, for the few hours it does you and your crew are privy to a spectacular sky never seen by anyone back at home. The night sky boils in the various spectrums of red at the apex and purple towards the Horizon. Yet despite the Nebulae blocking out many of the stars beyond its' own each, the Milky Way continues to pierce through the sky- A familiar reminder of home accented to an alien twist. [thumb]http://i.imgur.com/1zTj7.jpg[/thumb] [b]Colonial Assessment[/b] ++ Lower gravity and moderately-high density, the planet should offer an abundance of Heavy Metals. Thin atmosphere however, would limit biological labor. ++ Lack of water could present a concern to Colonies in the future, unless properly managed or Terraforming considered. ++ Extreme Axial tilt likely to produce hot Summers and Cold Winters. Most habitable time would be during Summer, when the atmosphere is thickest and temperatures are warmest. ++ A Single Moon at little over a tenth the distance to Earth/Moon. Near future collision concern? ++ Asteroid belt close to Binary stars could pose threat to a Colony on any planet in the solar system. High likely hood of gravitational instability in their orbits. [h2]GRADE: C[/h2] -- Short-term mining colonies and potential vacation resort considered during Summer season. Orbital Cruise destination? [b]Other interesting yet Msc shots in the system[/b] [thumb]http://i.imgur.com/vHrxl.jpg[/thumb] A neat "[i]Top-Hat[/i]" Terrestrial Desert sporting a massive south polar ice cap. [thumb]http://i.imgur.com/vo5j1.jpg[/thumb] Closest planet to the orbiting [i]Twins[/i]. A balmy 1432K today (~2,120°F/1160°C). Ever wanted to know how many stars were in a given emission Nebula? Here's a hint. [sp] How bright does it glow?[/sp] [thumb]http://i.imgur.com/JS4Io.jpg[/thumb] vs [thumb]http://i.imgur.com/KL4Fh.jpg[/thumb] Left (Autoexposure On) / Right (Autoexposure Off) @ nearly 1 AU (0.98). Where's planet 7? ------------------ Apologies on typos, rather late when I got this thing finished and up.

[QUOTE=Keys;38065859]I keep trying to think of a way to turn this simulator into some sort of game to amuse the masses, at least here on Facepunch. Since I had been doing the documentary stuff, I was thinking of trying to create some sort of "Choose your own Fate" style Space story, using Planets/Locations from SpaceEngine and using screenshots/videos to create a visual story of a ship crew or something. Any ideas? Encouragement?[/QUOTE] That's a brilliant idea. I have no idea why nobody else though of it. We would have to map out nearby systems to the home system so we don't end up getting lost.

[QUOTE=Chernobyl426;38066538]That's a brilliant idea. I have no idea why nobody else though of it. We would have to map out nearby systems to the home system so we don't end up getting lost.[/QUOTE] Something like that, I was thinking of writing up challenges and options for readers to vote on with ratings and suggestions. Things like "Your Engineer stuck the whatchamacallit in the wrong whosawhatsit, you can either wait for rescue or try to get the whatchamacallit out before you drift into the sun!". Obviously more elaborate and scientific than that- But still the rough concept. This way by choosing what road the crew takes they may end up healthy and home safe-n-sound, or stranded on a methane-based planet gasping for air in their final moments. :[ I've got a rough plan drawn out for up to 3-4 turns- But this would require a lot of work, especially since I would be trying to Photoshop scenes from inside ships or data screens and the likes. I'd like to see if there's a genuine interest first before comitting the time. You seem interested however, Chernobyl426! Anyone else? (Also where would you post such a thing? Games in Progress? Art section?)

[QUOTE=Keys;38071542]Something like that, I was thinking of writing up challenges and options for readers to vote on with ratings and suggestions. Things like "Your Engineer stuck the whatchamacallit in the wrong whosawhatsit, you can either wait for rescue or try to get the whatchamacallit out before you drift into the sun!". Obviously more elaborate and scientific than that- But still the rough concept. This way by choosing what road the crew takes they may end up healthy and home safe-n-sound, or stranded on a methane-based planet gasping for air in their final moments. :[ I've got a rough plan drawn out for up to 3-4 turns- But this would require a lot of work, especially since I would be trying to Photoshop scenes from inside ships or data screens and the likes. I'd like to see if there's a genuine interest first before comitting the time. You seem interested however, Chernobyl426! Anyone else? (Also where would you post such a thing? Games in Progress? Art section?)[/QUOTE] I'd be considerably interested. If you don't get many interested parties on facepunch, you could always try /tg/ on 4chan. Seem to have the occasional 'quest thread', and high-quality ones attract a bunch of interest.